Something was terribly wrong. Lu han understood that much as his mother lay on her small bed panting, between screams of pain. Something was wrong with Le han. 'She's taking too long to come out of mamas' tummy, and she's being hurt by it' he thought quietly to himself. The nearest hospital was three hours away, they had no choice but to wait it out. The village midwife, an old crone almost gone blind, was shaking her head furiously. As if to reprimand the unborn child with a scold for it's delinquency in taking so long to come out. Special tea was brewing on the hearth fire, Tea to make mama relax and help the baby to come out. There was so much blood, soaked into rags. All Lu han could do was stand and watch, caught between fear and loyalty to his mama and his unborn baby sister. hours more pass before the babe is finally born, and Leah lies dead from blood loss. Their father was long gone, he died in a freak sandstorm out in the Dunesea a few months ago. They were orphans now, him and this quiet mewling creature. His baby sister. He would take care of her now that mama was gone. "Come" says the village mid wife. He follows, carrying the baby in his tiny podgy little arms. They go to live with the mid wife and her youngest daughter on the outskirts of town. They have no one else.

                        139 YA

Le han dances around the garden as her brother chops wood for the fire hold, Winter is coming, and the old mid wife has no sons of her own. Though Lu han is now barely eight years old, he is grateful to be of help any way he can. He understands that if it had not been for the mid wife, he and his sister may not even be alive today. So let her play while he works, he is happy enough to just watch her, her joy evident as she chases down a rogue butterfly that had happened to cross her way. Lu han hears the mid wife call for dinner, he goes to the horses' trough to wash his hands from the debris, and to go collect Le han from her small game. It's a small hovel on the outskirts of town, only three rooms. But to Lu han, it was home. The kitchen that had a small alcove, that doubled as his room, was by far his favourite. He had created small wooden toys for himself, nestled on a shelf above his bed of straw. A cat that had the face of a dog, a small rooster, a fish. But his prize was a woman, whitled out of a broken branch from a sacred peach tree. She was his mama, and she watched over him as he slept and was lost in his dreams. "Eat your soup young man, we need you big and strong before the Winter. I think it's going to be a hard one this year." says the crone as she see's him staring into his small room, mistakenly believing he wanted to skip dinner and go straight to bed. What he had been truly looking at, was the effigy of his mother. The young daughter had not missed the look however, a girl of thirteen summers. She put her arms around him in a silent hug, as he struggled to keep his lip from trembeling. He only pretended to be strong. The daughter knew this, as did the mid wife. They chose to give him space to grieve, and offer comfort when it was needed. They were the only family he truly knew, and they loved him. The daughter lets go, and returns to her soup and bread. The rest of the meal is eaten in silence, other than for Le han who cannot stop yawning as she sat on the floor by the hearth fire. "Come princess, it's time for bed." coo's the daughter to the little girl, as she takes the child in her arms. "Story!" begs Le han as she is lain in her cot on the other side of the room, the daughter laughs and shakes her head, but Le han is adamant, and before long she gives in. This is a nightly ritual for them. "Well, alright then, Shall we tell the story of The Twelve? Once, there was a great battle between our world, and the then world of Mato, the iron planet. They had machines that spat fire and lead, that did great harm to our world. But the high priests on Summersedge Mountain? They prayed for us, they prayed for Three days on end, before their prayers were answered. Out of the haze of a destroyed town, stepped twelve cloaked men, our protectors and saviours. They fought with great strength, given to them by the God, against the Mato forces. In the end, we won, for Mato was never prepared for anybody to protect us. Since then, The Twelve have always been present, and they watch over us still." The daughter turns to face the child, but Le han was fast asleep long before the daughter was done, and she knew it. But she also knew that a little boy, to dignified to ask for a story, had listened to every word and was mulling them over in his mind, He knew who he was.
Lu han was crying

                                            147 YA

Lu han lay on his , sweating feverishly and trapped within a dream. A nightmare, he couldn't be sure. They were young, him and Le han as they played outside on the Dunesea. His sisters' laughter and shrieks of delight sounding out through the hollow air. She dances on a rock outcrop, when her laughter is replaced by an ear piercing shriek. Such a high pitched voice, backed by an empathic power to feel and be felt. It was unbearable in its intensity. Lu han doubles over in pain and falls to the ground, screaming as wave after wave of pain leaves his sisters body. Suddenly, it stops, Lu hans' ears are bleeding but she has mercifully stopped. He opens his eyes, uncups his hands from his ears and runs over to the rock outcrop. He finds there not his sister, but a beautiful young woman. She opens and speaks, and he recognizes her voice. "Hello Le han" he greets. She tells him to sit down next to her. "You need to forgive yourself for this Lu han, it wasn't your fault. Don't worry about me, I am at peace." she whispers softly to him. Her voice is like soft bells dancing in the distance, so quiet is it that it sounds like part of the wind more than an actual voice. Lu han doesn't understand what she means, nor how she came to be here. But he smiles and promises that he will. They sit together for a time, in companionable silence, the empath and telekinetic, brother and sister.